Tailgate Update: A Crestline family’s motorhome takes travel and tailgating to a whole new level

The former University of Alabama player is optimistic about the Crimson Tide's season, but he's really looking forward to this year's tailgates.

The Lewis family recently upgraded from a standard Winnebago to a luxury motorhome. The 2014 Entegra Aspire is 43 feet long and can sleep six adults comfortably. Purchased in the spring, Lewis says the Tide's first home game will be the family's first trip in its new vehicle.

"With a lake house or a beach house, the scenery never changes," he says. "With this, we can go to the mountains, Savannah, Oak Mountain — wherever."

The motorhome also includes nearly all the amenities of a vacation home: one-and-a-half baths, granite kitchen countertops and stainless steel appliances and a master bedroom with a king-size Select Comfort bed.

When Lewis purchased the family's first RV, he thought the vehicle's main use would be for barbecue competitions; Lewis and his team compete throughout the nation. The team is named the Specialists from Lewis' and fellow pit master Jackson Cook's time on special teams with the Tide under Gene Stallings. With the RV, the team is able to step out of the motorhome and get to grilling.

But the vehicle has also proven perfect for family vacations; the Lewises traveled to Disney World in their previous RV, and plan to do so again this year, in addition to other excursions.

And then, of course, there's tailgating.

The family of four has a designated motor coach space on campus in Tuscaloosa. They arrive at 6 p.m. Fridays, the earliest the university allows, and leave Sunday mornings following game day.

While fellow RVers look forward to Lewis' arrival — he always brings his barbecue pit and an abundance of meat—it's the family's new wheels that are sure to impress this season.

It isn't difficult to understand why. Plush leather couches offer plenty of comfortable seating, and this motor coach has all the comforts of home. In addition to the full-sized kitchen and baths, it also has a washer/dryer, heated flooring and a fireplace.

While driving the vehicle takes some getting used to and fueling it is expensive — it gets about 8 mpg and holds 100 gallons of diesel — it's an acceptable tradeoff. Lewis isn't fond of flying. It's also more comfortable than a car or van, especially when traveling with the couple's 5-year old daughter and 2-year-old son. "It's got satellite TV," Lewis says. "So we they can watch can watch it while I'm driving."

Once it's parked they can continue to watch TV in an even more inviting space. With the side panels extended, the width is just more than 100 feet.

The common area's entertainment center has a 42-inch flat-screen and the couches can be used for lounging, dining or sleeping.

The master bedroom, located in the vehicle's rear, can be closed off for privacy. There, the bath includes a walk-in shower with porcelain tile surround and his-and-her sinks.

The kitchen's luxury amenities also make the family feel at home. Although the appliances are residential-size, a convection microwave and glass gas cooking range, which is recessed under the counter, maximize space. It's certainly a gourmet kitchen, but the Lewis family prefers its cooking outdoors.

And it's no wonder, given the additional features. The adjustable awning's LED lighting make it a gathering space no matter the time of day, and a 40-inch HDTV with a CD and DVD player and mounted speakers draw family and friends.

Lewis typically mans the custom-made Jambo Pit J3 barbecue pit nearby. It's been a hit with barbecue judges and Alabama fans alike. Fans often stop to take pictures with his red-and-houndstooth barbecue pit, he says.While the food's not bad — his barbecue team ranks second in the state now — the Lewis' new motor coach may be the star of the tailgate this football season.

RVing by the NumbersRV Owners: Buyers aged 35 to 54 are the largest segment of RV owners, according to the 2011 University of Michigan study commissioned by Recreation Vehicle Industry Association. That study also notes that the typical RV owner is 48 years old, married, with an annual household income of $62,000.

RV Rentals: The RV rental business is a $350-million industry, according to the U.S. Census of Retail Trade and the RV Rental Association.

Price Tag: Prices for new RVs are typically $5,000 to $22,000 for folding camping trailers; $6,000 to $55,000 for truck campers; $8,000 to $95,000 for conventional travel trailers; $43,000 to $200,000 for Type C motorhomes; and $60,000 to $500,000 for Type A motorhomes, according to the Recreational Vehicle Association.

When it began: The first motorized campers were built in 1910, according to gorving.com. They offered minimal comforts to today's — they didn't have bathrooms, for one — but they offered more comfortable overnight travel.

Tailgating by the NumbersTopping the Charts: Auburn University and the University of Alabama both ranked in The Bleacher Report's 2014 top 25 list of tailgating schools.The Crimson Tide ranked No. 12 citing the friendliness of fans to most opponents, "almost sort of out of pity for what will likely be yet another victim," the list states.

Auburn came in at No. 18, with The Bleacher Report citing its Tiger Walk. "Thousands partake in this event, many of whom line the path with a belly full of smoked venison — one of many great dishes you can find in the tailgating village, a gathering that gets filled up with campers days before kickoff." The University of Tennessee took the top spot on the list.

Tailgating Times: You can start your tailgating just a little bit earlier if you're on the Tigers' turf. Auburn allows fans to arrive at 4 p.m. Friday for game day. You have to wait until 6 p.m. if you're headed to see the Tide in Tuscaloosa.

Attendance: The SEC leads the nation in college football attendance, according to ESPN. Alabama led with more than 102,000 attending each home game. Auburn had 83,000. However, those figures don't include all the tailgaters who set up camp outside the stadiums to watch the game. According to research by ParkWhiz and SeatGeek, 30 percent of tailgaters never make it to the stadium.

Price Tag: According to that same ParkWhiz and SeatGeek study, fans spend an average of $500 per season on tailgating food and supplies. The Tailgating Industry Association estimates anywhere from $10 to $20 billion spent a year on just football tailgating. Factor in NASCAR and other sports and the number increases to an estimated $35 billion.

Typical Tailgater: The average tailgater is a male between the ages of 18 to 44, according to an American Tailgaters Association study.

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